deathstrandingfandomcom-20200223-history
Die-Hardman
Die-Hardman, '''born '''John Blake McClane, is the third and current President of the United Cities of America and Director of Bridges. Story Early History In his early adulthood, John Blake McClane was a member of the US Special Forces, serving under the command of Captain Clifford "Cliff" Unger. During his time in the military, John earned the nickname "Die-Hardman" due to surviving against impossible odds (although John believed it was due to Unger's leadership than his own ability). John later left the Army and began working for Bridges, eventually becoming special advisor and security guard for President Bridget Strand. During this time, he became part of the Bridge Baby experiments. Among the BBs was the unborn son of Unger, who had submitted the child following an accident that left Unger's then-pregnant wife brain-dead. Due to the potential of Cliff's son as a BB, Bridget chose to take the child for continued experiments, against the consent of Cliff. On the day before Cliff's baby was to be brought to another facility, he helps Cliff prepare an escape plan for him and his son, and deactivates Cliff's wife security systems, but warns him that if he is ordered to kill Cliff, he can't refuse and will do so. However, Cliff's attempt fails, as Bridges security shoot and chase him, even as Die-Hardman attempted to buy Cliff time and demand that he be the one to deal with Cliff. Fatally, Bridget Strand intervenes in the process and orders Bridges special ops to force the doors open to Lisa Bridges's room, within which Cliff was hiding. Die-Hardman begged Cliff to hand over the bridge baby, trying to hold off the spec ops from shooting Cliff. The Spec Ops shoot Cliff anyway, and the BB pod is taken and given to Bridget. They find that there is no BB left in it, since Cliff extracted it out of the pod. Die-Hardman aims at Cliff and orders him to bring the BB back, with Bridget ordering him to shoot Cliff. After the latter finally pronounced his last sentences, Bridget takes Die-Hardman hands in hers and pull the trigger, shooting twice and accidentally killing both Cliff and the BB. To avoid implications for the incident, Bridget and John faked his suicide and forged him a new identity of "Die-Hardman". Die-Hardman was given Bridget's mask to obscure his face, and used it for decades to conceal his identity. When asked about the mask, Die-Hardman would claim it was for hiding facial burns. Chiral Network Some time after Amelie is captured by the ''Homo demens'', Die-Hardman works with her to attempt to convince Sam to continue on her westward expedition, connect all cities to the Chiral Network, and bring her back to Capital Knot City. Eventually during the story, he is invited by Amelie with a baby doll, and records a message that Deadman shows to Cliff near the end of the story. He confesses about his real face, and says that he plan to kill Amelie, as he knows she is responsible for the Death Stranding. At the end of the story, after Sam's return from Amelie's Beach, he pronounces a speech in honor of the UCA, of Sam, and of Bridges. After the speech, Deadman tells Sam about his new discovery about Die-Hardman, the latter call Sam, and confesses in tears his murder to him, that he killed Cliff, but that Cliff's forgiving has broken him. Sam tries to push him away, and watches the scene in a rather disgusted expression, and finally gives Die-Hardman the gun he brought to Amelie's Beach, and informs him that the old habits must die hard to build a better America, and quotes Amelie: "That gun won't help you here". Personality Die-Hardman is a stoic, loyal man, fully dedicated to the UCA and American reconstruction. While a large part of his motivation was his devotion and love for Bridget Strand, another part is his crippling guilt at causing the death of Cliff and his son. Notes In-universe * Die-Hardman's mask has text on its forehead that reads "BR-10-14P-9999 LUDENS". ** The mask's jaw moves with his own jaw when he talks. ** Deadman asks Sam why he wears the mask since he knew him by long date, which he replies that when he first met him he was already wearing a mask being told that it had something to do with burns to his face. ** It is later revealed that his face is not damaged, and he is using it to hide his face. Out-of-universe * Die-Hardman first appeared in artwork at TGS 2018. * Die-Hardman is a reference to Die Hard, one of Hideo Kojima's favorite films. His alias is a direct reference, while his real name is a reference to John McClane, the lead character in the film. Gallery TGS 2018 concept art of Die-Hardman Die-Hardman.jpg }} References }} de:Die-Hardman es:Die-Hardman Category:Characters